Radio network node, a wireless device and methods therein for transmission and reception of positioning system information

ABSTRACT

A wireless device and a method therein for receiving positioning system information from a radio network node. The wireless device and the radio network node operate in a wireless communications network. The wireless device receives positioning system information broadcast scheduling information comprising information about positioning System Information Blocks that are comprised in a System Information message. Further, the wireless device receives an indication that a pSIB is segmented into pSIB segments. Based on the indication and on the pSI the wireless device determines whether or not the pSIB segments are scheduled via contiguous scheduling. When the pSIB segments are determined to be scheduled via contiguous scheduling, the wireless device monitors scheduled resources, retrieves the contiguously scheduled pSIB segments and decodes position system information of the retrieved pSIB segments.

This application is a 35 U.S.C. § 371 national stage application of PCTInternational Application No. PCT/SE2019/050337 filed on Apr. 12, 2019,which in turns claims domestic priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/658,628, filed on Apr. 17, 2018, the disclosures andcontent of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments herein relate to a radio network node, a wireless device andto methods therein. Especially, embodiments relate to transmission andreception of positioning system information.

BACKGROUND

In a typical wireless communication network, wireless devices, alsoknown as wireless communication devices, mobile stations, stations (STA)and/or User Equipments (UES), communicate via a Local Area Network (LAN)such as a WiFi network or a Radio Access Network (RAN) to one or moreCore Networks (CN). The RAN covers a geographical area which is dividedinto service areas or cell areas, which may also be referred to as abeam or a beam group, with each service area or cell area being servedby a radio network node such as a radio access node e.g., a Wi-Fi accesspoint or a Radio Base Station (RBS), which in some networks may also bedenoted, for example, a NodeB, eNodeB (eNB), or gNB as denoted in 5G. Aservice area or cell area is a geographical area where radio coverage isprovided by the radio network node. The radio network node communicatesover an air interface operating on radio frequencies with the wirelessdevice within range of the radio network node.

Specifications for the Evolved Packet System (EPS), also called a FourthGeneration (4G) network, have been completed within the 3rd GenerationPartnership Project (3GPP) and this work continues in the coming 3GPPreleases, for example to specify a Fifth Generation (5G) network alsoreferred to as 5G New Radio (NR). The EPS comprises the EvolvedUniversal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), also known as theLong Term Evolution (LTE) radio access network, and the Evolved PacketCore (EPC), also known as System Architecture Evolution (SAE) corenetwork. E-UTRAN/LTE is a variant of a 3GPP radio access network whereinthe radio network nodes are directly connected to the EPC core networkrather than to RNCs used in 3G networks. In general, in E-UTRAN/LTE thefunctions of a 3G RNC are distributed between the radio network nodes,e.g. eNodeBs in LTE, and the core network. As such, the RAN of an EPShas an essentially “flat” architecture comprising radio network nodesconnected directly to one or more core networks, i.e. they are notconnected to RNCs. To compensate for that, the E-UTRAN specificationdefines a direct interface between the radio network nodes, thisinterface being denoted the X2 interface.

Multi-antenna techniques can significantly increase the data rates andreliability of a wireless communication system. The performance is inparticular improved if both the transmitter and the receiver areequipped with multiple antennas, which results in a Multiple-InputMultiple-Output (MIMO) communication channel. Such systems and/orrelated techniques are commonly referred to as MIMO.

In addition to faster peak Internet connection speeds, 5G planning aimsat higher capacity than current 4G, allowing higher number of mobilebroadband users per area unit, and allowing consumption of higher orunlimited data quantities in gigabyte per month and user. This wouldmake it feasible for a large portion of the population to streamhigh-definition media many hours per day with their mobile devices, whenout of reach of Wi-Fi hotspots. 5G research and development also aims atimproved support of machine to machine communication, also known as theInternet of things, aiming at lower cost, lower battery consumption andlower latency than 4G equipment.

Positioning in an LTE communications network is supported by thearchitecture schematically illustrated in FIG. 1, with directinteractions between a UE and a location server, e.g. an EnhancedServing Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC), via the LTE PositioningProtocol (LPP). Moreover, there are also interactions between thelocation server and an eNodeB via the LPPa protocol, to some extentsupported by interactions between the eNodeB and the UE via the RadioResource Control (RRC) protocol.

UE positioning is recognized as an important feature for LTE networksdue to its potential for massive commercial applications (for exampleintelligent transportation, entertainment, industry automation,robotics, remote operation, healthcare, smart parking and so on) as wellas its relevance to US FCC E911 requirements.

LTE networks have support for a wide range of positioning methods. TheGlobal Navigation Satellites System (GNSS) is one of the widely usedpositioning methods and is a collective term for many differentsatellite systems, with the Global Positioning System (GPS) being themost commonly supported by devices, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSSare other examples. Furthermore, satellite systems can also be used toprovide augmentation data to the UE, commonly referred to as SatelliteBased Augmentation Systems (SBAS).

Recent enhancements in GNSS technology include support for very precisepositioning, where the device, e.g. the UE, can interact with a networknode to obtain specific measurement correction information. Much ofthese are captured by the specification work of Radio TechnicalCommission for Maritime services (RTCM). One example is Real TimeKinematic (RTK) GNSS, which is a differential GNSS positioningtechnology enabling positioning accuracy improvement from meter level todecimeter or even centimeter level in the right conditions in real-timeby exploiting carrier phase measurements of the GNSS signal fromindividual satellites, rather than only the code phase, together withassistance data based on information from one or more referencestations. Support for RTK GNSS in LTE networks should therefore beprovided and are under standardization in the Release 15 work item. Thesupport for UE-based GNSS RTK in LTE networks comprises reporting RTKassistance data to the UE. The assistance data can also encompass otherkinds of positioning assistance data, such as more general assistedGNSS, OTDOA information, etc.

Two options for providing positioning assistance data to the UE arebeing standardized. The first option is to broadcast the positioningassistance data from base stations by extending the system informationwith positioning system information, i.e. with the positioningassistance data. The second option is to send the positioning assistancedata to each UE individually via unicast, for example via the LPP. Inaddition, the UE can also interact with an RTK server over theapplication layer directly, as another example of unicast.

For the first option, i.e. the broadcast option, the positioningassistance data can be separated into different positioning assistancedata elements, The Network Node (NN), e.g. the location server, such asan E-SMLC in LTE, a Location Management Function (LMF) in 5G, etc.,prepares the positioning assistance data elements, encodes themseparately and optionally encrypts them individually and sends them tothe base station. The base station takes the positioning assistance dataelements and compiles positioning System Information Blocks (pSIB). Oneor more pSIBs can be broadcasted by the base station in an SI message.If the pSIB is too large to fit into a single SI message, it can besegmented, at the base station (octet string segmentation).Alternatively, the network node (NN), can segment the positioningassistance data elements into multiple segments before sending to thebase station for broadcast. These segments may be decoded individually(pseudo segmentation) or needs to be concatenated before they may bedecoded (octet string segmentation). In that case, the segments aremapped to the same pSIB type, but indicated as different segments.

In other words, the positioning assistance data element is what thenetwork node, e.g. the E-SMLC, provides. The positioning assistance datamay be RTK data, but may be other GNSS data or OTDOA data, or somethingelse. The network node, e.g. the E-SMLC, sends the positioningassistance data elements to the base station. Based on the receivedpositioning assistance data, the base station compiles pSIBs that aresent in SI messages to the UE.

In current system information broadcast, the scheduling information isalso broadcasted. For each SIB, the base station configures an SIperiodicity, while the SI window is the same for all SIBs. The device,e.g. the UE, retrieves an SI identifier which is used to identify a SIBamong the transmitted data blocks within the SI window.

The current state of the art for positioning information broadcast is toconfigure an SI window and an SI periodicity. In case a SIB is too large(only applicable for SIB 12 of LTE for the CMAS warnings), the SIB willbe segmented, and each segment will be sent in separate SI periods,scheduled in separate SI windows, separated in time by about the SIperiodicity.

One objective for the LTE Rel15 accurate positioning work item is tospecify a new SIB to support broadcast of Assistance Data (AD):

-   -   Broadcasting of assistance data [RAN2, RAN3, SA3, SA2]    -   Specify a new SIB to support signaling of positioning assistance        information for A-GNSS, RTK and UE-based OTDOA assistance        information.    -   Specify optional encryption procedure for broadcast assistance        data, including mechanism for delivery of UE-specific encryption        keys.

SUMMARY

As a part of developing embodiments herein a problem will first beidentified and discussed.

Latency, i.e. the delay between when the positioning assistance dataelement was compiled in a network node NN to when a wireless device,e.g. a UE, has retrieved enough information to decode the pSIBs andretrieved the positioning assistance data element, is a critical factorfor UEs, e.g. wireless devices, when acquiring the positioningassistance data. If there is delay in sending or receiving the data, theUE may not precisely determine its position. In many use cases precisepositioning is a requirement. Examples of such use cases areapplications in autonomous vehicles and other robotic applications.Using todays legacy scheme to transmit the pSIB may incur huge latency,since all segments needs to be obtained in case of octet stringsegmentation before the information can be decrypted (optionally) anddecoded, and with only one segment per SI period (order of seconds), thedelay may be considerable.

An object of embodiments herein is therefore to improve the performanceof a wireless communications network for transmission and reception ofpositioning SIB to minimize the latency.

According to an aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved bya method performed by a wireless device for receiving positioning systeminformation from a Radio Network Node (RNN). The wireless device and theRNN operate in a wireless communications network.

The wireless device receives, from the RNN, positioning systeminformation broadcast scheduling information (pSI) comprisinginformation about positioning System Information Blocks (pSIBs) that arecomprised in a System Information, SI, message.

Further, the wireless device receives, from the RNN, an indication thata pSIB is segmented into pSIB segments.

The wireless device determines based on the indication and on the pSIwhether or not the pSIB segments are scheduled via contiguousscheduling.

When the pSIB segments are determined to be scheduled via contiguousscheduling, the wireless device monitors scheduled resources andretrieves the contiguously scheduled pSIB segments.

The wireless device decodes position system information of the retrievedpSIB segments.

According to another aspect of embodiments herein, the object isachieved by a wireless device for receiving positioning systeminformation from a Radio Network Node (RNN). The wireless device and theRNN are configured to operate in a wireless communications network.

The wireless device is configured to receive, from the RNN, positioningsystem information broadcast scheduling information (pSI) comprisinginformation about positioning System Information Blocks (pSIBs) that arecomprised in a System Information, SI, message.

Further, the wireless device is configured to receive, from the RNN, anindication that a pSIB is segmented into pSIB segments.

The wireless device is configured to determine based on the indicationand on the pSI whether or not the pSIB segments are scheduled viacontiguous scheduling.

The wireless device is configured to monitor scheduled resources andretrieves the contiguously scheduled pSIB segments, when the pSIBsegments are determined to be scheduled via contiguous scheduling.

The wireless device is configured to decode position system informationof the retrieved pSIB segments.

According to another aspect of embodiments herein, the object isachieved by a method performed by a Radio Network Node (RNN) fortransmitting positioning system information to a wireless device. TheRNN and the wireless device operate in a wireless communicationsnetwork.

The RNN determines that positioning assistance data elements will bemapped to positioning System Information Blocks (pSIBs) needed to beseparated into multiple segments.

The RNN broadcasts positioning system information broadcast schedulinginformation (pSI) comprising information about pSIBs being comprised ina SI message.

Further the RNN broadcasts an indication that a pSIB is segmented intopSIB segments.

Furthermore, the RNN schedules and broadcasts the pSIB segments viacontiguous scheduling.

According to another aspect of embodiments herein, the object isachieved by a Radio Network Node (RNN) for transmitting positioningsystem information to a wireless device. The RNN and the wireless deviceare configured to operate in a wireless communications network.

The RNN is configured to determine that positioning assistance dataelements will be mapped to positioning System Information Blocks (pSIBs)needed to be separated into multiple segments.

The RNN is configured to broadcast positioning system informationbroadcast scheduling information (pSI) comprising information aboutpSIBs being comprised in a SI message.

Further the RNN is configured to broadcast an indication that a pSIB issegmented into pSIB segments.

Furthermore, the RNN is configured to schedule and broadcast the pSIBsegments via contiguous scheduling.

According to another aspect of embodiments herein, the object isachieved by a method performed by a network node for assist a RadioNetwork Node (RNN) in transmitting positioning system information to awireless device. The network node, the RNN and the wireless deviceoperate in a wireless communications network.

The network node prepares positioning System Information Blocks (pSIBs)and provides the pSIBs to the RNN.

According to another aspect of embodiments herein, the object isachieved by a network node for assist a Radio Network Node (RNN) intransmitting positioning system information to a wireless device. Thenetwork node, the RNN and the wireless device are configured operate ina wireless communications network.

The network node is configured to prepare positioning System InformationBlocks (pSIBs) and to provide the pSIBs to the RNN.

Some advantages of embodiments disclosed herein are that the pSIBsegments may be broadcasted and retrieved by the target device, e.g. thewireless device, with short latency since they are broadcasted viacontiguous scheduling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples of embodiments herein are described in more detail withreference to attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an LTE communicationsnetwork supporting positioning according to prior art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments of awireless communications network;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments of awireless communications network;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a wirelessdevice;

FIG. 5 is schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments of a wirelessdevice;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a radionetwork node;

FIG. 7 is schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments of a radionetwork node;

FIG. 8a is schematic block diagram illustrating legacy scheduling;

FIG. 8b is schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments ofcontiguous scheduling;

FIG. 8c is schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments ofcontiguous scheduling;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a wirelessdevice;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a wirelessdevice;

FIG. 11 is a combined block diagram and flowchart schematicallyillustrating exemplifying signaling in a wireless communicationsnetwork;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a MN;

FIG. 13 schematically illustrates a telecommunication network connectedvia an intermediate network to a host computer;

FIG. 14 is a generalized block diagram of a host computer communicatingvia a base station with a user equipment over a partially wirelessconnection; and

FIGS. 15-18 are flowcharts illustrating methods implemented in acommunication system including a host computer, a base station and auser equipment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments herein may refer to GNSS, RTK, Positioning, SIBs.

According to some embodiments disclosed herein, positioning SIBs (pSIBs)are assumed to be associated to a specific positioning systeminformation scheduling information (pSI). The positioning systeminformation scheduling information pSI is essentially a list of whichpSIBs that are included in what SI message. Further, a dedicatedbehavior is designed for the handling, scheduling and reception of thepSIBs.

In particular, the behavior of a wireless device depends on a pSIBsegmentation indication in the pSI. Based on the pSIB segmentationindication the wireless device determines that a contiguous schedulingis considered for the pSIB segments. The segment indication may begeneral for all pSIBs or per pSIB type.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates logical entities of a wirelesscommunications network in more general terms. A target device or a UE10,120 is the entity performing the positioning measurements supportedby the positioning assistance data elements broadcasted as pSIBs in SImessages by a Radio Network Node (RNN), typically a radio base station20,110 but in even more general terms a transmission point, radio head,cell eNB, gNB etc. The broadcasted information is prepared by a NetworkNode (NN) 30,132, which may be a location server, an E-SMLC, an LMF,etc. Optionally, the positioning assistance data for broadcast may beciphered, e.g. encrypted, at the NN 30,132, in which case,decryption/deciphering keys are sent from the NN 30,132 to a MobilityNetwork Node (MNN) 40,130. The MNN 40,130 may be the MME in the EPC orthe AMF in the 5G core, or some other core network node. In case ofencrypted data, the UE 10,120 obtains the decryption/deciphering keysfrom the MNN 40,130.

Embodiments herein are mostly exemplified with LTE wireless devices butit may be applicable to other wireless devices which are served by otherRadio Access Technologies such as CAT-M, NB-IoT, WiFi, or NR Carriers.

Embodiments herein relate to wireless communication networks in general.FIG. 3 is a schematic overview depicting a wireless communicationsnetwork 100. The wireless communications network 100 may be referred toas a radio communications network. The wireless communications network100 comprises one or more Radio Access Networks (RANs) and one or moreCore Networks (CNs). The radio communications network 100 may use anumber of different technologies, such as NB-IoT, CAT-M, Wi-Fi, eMTC,Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, 5G, New Radio (NR), WidebandCode Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Global System for Mobilecommunications/Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution (GSM/EDGE),Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), or Ultra MobileBroadband (UMB), just to mention a few possible implementations.Sometimes in this disclosure the wireless communications network 100 isreferred to as just a network.

In the wireless communication network 100, wireless devices e.g. awireless device 10,120 also referred to as the first UE 120, isoperating in the wireless communications network 100. One or morefurther wireless devices 122 also referred to as one or more second UEs122 may operate in the wireless communications network 100. Asschematically illustrated in FIG. 3, the wireless device 120,122 maycommunicate with a network node, e.g. a network node 110 which will bedescribed below.

The wireless devices 120, 122 may each e.g. be a mobile station, anon-Access Point (non-AP) STA, a STA, a user equipment and/or a wirelessterminals, an NB-IoT device, an eMTC device and a CAT-M device, a WiFidevice, an LTE device and an NR device communicate via one or moreAccess Networks (AN), e.g. RAN, to one or more Core Networks (CN). Itshould be understood by the skilled in the art that “wireless device” isa non-limiting term which means any terminal, wireless communicationterminal, user equipment, Device to Device (D2D) terminal, or node e.g.smart phone, laptop, mobile phone, sensor, relay, mobile tablets or evena small base station communicating within a cell.

Network nodes operate in the radio communications network 100, such as aRadio Network Node (RNN) 20,110 also referred to as the first networknode 110, providing radio coverage over one or more geographical areas,one or more service areas 11, which may also be referred to as cells,beams or beam groups of a first Radio Access Technology (RAT), such as5G, LTE, Wi-Fi, NB-IoT, CAT-M, Wi-Fi, eMTC or similar. The network node110 may be a transmission and reception point e.g. a radio accessnetwork node such as a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access pointor an Access Point Station (AP STA), an access controller, a basestation, e.g. a radio base station such as a NodeB, an evolved Node B(eNB, eNode B), a gNB, a base transceiver station, a radio remote unit,an Access Point Base Station, a base station router, a transmissionarrangement of a radio base station, a stand-alone access point or anyother network unit capable of communicating with a wireless devicewithin the service area served by the network node 110 depending e.g. onthe radio access technology and terminology used. The network node 110may be referred to as a serving radio network node and communicates withthe wireless device 120, 122 with Downlink (DL) transmissions to thewireless device 120, 122 and Uplink (UL) transmissions from the wirelessdevice 120, 122.

Further network nodes operate in the radio communications network 100,such as a Mobility Network Node (MNN) 40,130 also referred to as thesecond network node 130. The network node 130 may be an MME which is acontrol node for an LTE access network, a Serving Gateway (SGW), and aPacket Data Network Gateway (PGW). An MME is amongst other responsiblefor tracking and paging procedure including retransmissions. Further,the network node 130 may be an Operation And Maintenance (OAM) node suchas an Operation and Support System Radio and Core (OSS-RC) node or anEricsson Network Management (ENM) node.

Further network nodes such as a location server 30, 132 and apositioning server 134 operate in the radio communications network 100.For example, the location server 30,132 may be an E-SMLC and thepositioning server 134 may be an RTK server. The location server 132 andthe positioning server 134 may communication with each other over acommunications interface.

It should be understood that the positioning server 134 may be arrangedexternal of the radio communications network 100 and in such a scenariothe positioning server 134 may be referred to as an external positioningserver 132 and the location server 132 and the positioning server 134may communicate over an IP interface.

The positioning server 134 may sometimes herein be referred to as an RTKserver or an RTK network provider.

Methods according to embodiments herein may be performed by any of thenetwork node 110 such as e.g. an eNB, the wireless device 120, e.g. theUE, the mobility network node 130, the location server 132 and/or by thepositioning server 134. As an alternative, a Distributed Node (DN) andfunctionality, e.g. comprised in a cloud 140 as shown in FIG. 3 may beused for performing or partly performing the methods.

Actions of Some Embodiments Herein

Example embodiments of a flowchart depicting embodiments of a methodperformed by the wireless device 10,120, e.g. to receive positioningsystem information, i.e. to receive positioning assistance data, isdepicted in FIG. 4 and will be described more in detail in thefollowing. As previously mentioned, the wireless device 10,120 and theRNN 20,110 operate in the wireless communications network 100. Themethod may comprise one or more of the following actions which actionsmay be taken in any suitable order. Further, it should be understoodthat one or more actions may be optional and that actions may becombined.

In Action 401, the wireless device 10,120 retrieves or receivespositioning system information broadcast scheduling details pSI from theRNN 20,110. The positioning system information broadcast schedulingdetails pSI is sometimes herein referred to as positioning systeminformation broadcast scheduling information, positioning systeminformation scheduling information or just pSIB scheduling informationor positioning scheduling information. As mentioned above, thepositioning system information scheduling information pSI comprisesinformation about which pSIBs that are included in which SI message.Thus, based on the positioning system information scheduling informationpSI, the wireless device 10, 120 will obtain information about the pSIBscomprised in an SI message. As will be described below, schedulinginformation is compiled into the positioning SIB scheduling informationpSI. Thus, based on the specific positioning system informationscheduling information pSI, the wireless device 10, 120 may also obtaininformation about how the pSIBs are scheduled.

In Action 402, the wireless device 10,120 retrieves or receives, fromthe RNN 20,110, an indication that a pSIB is segmented. Thus, thewireless device 10,120 receives or retrieves, from the RNN 20,110, anindication that a pSIB is segmented into pSIB segments. As will bedescribed below in section 5.2 Positioning SIB segmentation indication,the indication may be one or more out of:

-   -   a segmentation indication per pSIB indicating whether or not the        pSIB is segmented;    -   a representation of a total number of segments;    -   a representation of a number of segments broadcasted per SI        window;    -   a pSIB meta data indicating a segment number, which pSIB meta        data is obtained by the wireless device 120 by decoding a pSIB;        and    -   a segment indication comprised in the pSIB.

In Action 403, the wireless device 10,120 determines based on theindication and the pSIB scheduling information, i.e. the retrieved orreceived positioning system information broadcast scheduling details pSImentioned in Action 401, whether or not the pSIB segments are scheduledvia contiguous scheduling.

In some embodiments, the wireless device 10,120 determines whether ornot the pSIB segments are scheduled via contiguous scheduling bydetermining whether or not a scheduling of pSIB segments of the pSIBtakes place more frequently than one pSIB segment per positioning SIperiod. For example, the pSIB segments of the pSIB may be scheduled incontiguous SI windows within the positioning SI period or multiple pSIBsegments of the pSIB may be scheduled in one same SI window within thepositioning SI period.

If the pSIB segments are scheduled via contiguous scheduling, in Action404, the device 10,120 monitors the scheduled resources for contiguouslyscheduled pSIB segments, and retrieves the contiguously scheduled pSIBsegments. Thus, when the pSIB segments are determined to be scheduledvia contiguous scheduling, the wireless device 10,120 monitors thescheduled resources and retrieves the contiguously scheduled pSIBsegments.

As will be described below, the wireless device 10,120 may retrieve thecontiguously scheduled pSIB segments by retrieving the pSIB segments ofthe pSIB until a pSIB segment with a last segment indicator isretrieved.

In Action 405, the device 10,120 decodes the information, e.g. thepositioning system information i.e. the positioning assistance data, ofthe retrieved pSIB segments and uses the information to assistpositioning. In other words, the wireless device 10,120 decodes theinformation of the retrieved segments and uses the information todetermine what positioning signals (from satellites, cellular entities,other wireless devices etc.) that are available, in what radio resourcesthe positioning signals are transmitted, or to determine it's position.Thus, the wireless device 10,120 may use the decoded positioning systeminformation to assist positioning of the wireless device 10, 120.

To perform the method actions e.g. for receiving positioning systeminformation, the wireless device 10,120 may comprise the arrangementdepicted in FIG. 5. The wireless device 120 may e.g. comprise atransmitting unit 501, a receiving unit 502, a retrieving unit 503, adetermining unit 504, a monitoring unit 505, a decoding unit 506 and apositioning unit 507 configured to perform one or more of the actionsdescribed herein.

The wireless device 10, 120 may be configured to transmit, e.g. by meansof the transmitting unit 501, a signal, message or information to one ormore nodes operating in the communications network 100.

The wireless device 10, 120 is configured to receive or retrieve, e.g.by means of the receiving unit 502 or the retrieving unit 503, from theradio network node 20, 110, positioning system information broadcastscheduling information (pSI) comprising information about positioningSystem Information Blocks (pSIBs) that are comprised in a SystemInformation (SI) message.

Further, the wireless device 10,120 is configured to receive orretrieve, from the RNN 20,110, an indication that a pSIB is segmentedinto pSIB segments. As will be described below in section 5.2Positioning SIB segmentation indication, the indication may be one ormore out of:

a segmentation indication per pSIB indicating whether or not the pSIB issegmented;

a representation of a total number of segments;

a representation of a number of segments broadcasted per SI window;

a pSIB meta data indicating a segment number, which pSIB meta data isobtained by the wireless device 120 by decoding a pSIB; and

a segment indication comprised in the pSIB.

Furthermore, the wireless device 10,120 is configured to retrievecontiguously scheduled pSIB segments.

In some embodiments, the wireless device 10, 120 is configured toretrieve the contiguously scheduled pSIB segments by further beingconfigured to retrieve the pSIB segments of the pSIB until a pSIBsegment with a last segment indicator is retrieved.

The wireless device 10, 120 is configured to determine, e.g. by means ofthe determining unit 504, whether or not the pSIB segments are scheduledvia contiguous scheduling. The wireless device 10, 120 is configured toperform the determination based on the indication and on the pSI.

The wireless device 10, 120 may be configured to determine whether ornot the pSIB segments are scheduled via contiguous scheduling be furtherbeing configured to determine whether or not a scheduling of pSIBsegments of the pSIB takes place more frequently than one pSIB segmentper positioning SI period.

The pSIB segments of the pSIB may be scheduled in contiguous SI windowswithin the positioning SI period, or multiple pSIB segments of the pSIBmay be scheduled in one same SI window within the positioning SI period.

The wireless device 10, 120 is configured to monitor, e.g. by means ofthe monitoring unit 505, scheduled resources when the pSIB segments aredetermined to be scheduled via contiguous scheduling.

The wireless device 10, 120 is configured to decode, e.g. by means ofthe decoding unit 506, position system information of the retrieved pSIBsegments.

In some embodiments, the wireless device 10, 120 is configured toperform positioning, e.g. by means of the positioning unit 507, of thewireless device 10, 120. Thus, the wireless device 10, 120 may beconfigured to use the decoded positioning system information to assistpositioning of the wireless device 10, 120.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the units in thewireless device 10,120, described above may refer to a combination ofanalog and digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configuredwith software and/or firmware, e.g. stored in the wireless device 120,that when executed by the respective one or more processors such as theprocessors described above. One or more of these processors, as well asthe other digital hardware, may be included in a singleApplication-Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASIC), or several processorsand various digital hardware may be distributed among several separatecomponents, whether individually packaged or assembled into aSystem-on-a-Chip (SoC).

The wireless device 10,120 may comprise an input and output interface500 configured to communicate with the network node 20,110 and thelocation server 40,132. The input and output interface may comprise awireless receiver (not shown) and a wireless transmitter (not shown).

The embodiments herein may be implemented through a respective processoror one or more processors, such as the processor 508 of a processingcircuitry in wireless device 10,120 depicted in FIG. 5, together withrespective computer program code for performing the functions andactions of the embodiments herein. The program code mentioned above mayalso be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the formof a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing theembodiments herein when being loaded into the wireless device 120. Onesuch carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasiblewith other data carriers such as a memory stick. The computer programcode may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server anddownloaded to the wireless device 120.

The wireless device 120 may further comprise a memory 509 comprising oneor more memory units. The memory comprises instructions executable bythe processor in the wireless device 120.

The memory is arranged to be used to store e.g. data, configurations,and applications to perform the methods herein when being executed inthe wireless device 120.

Some embodiments of the wireless device 10,120 may comprise:

a radio circuitry configured to monitor for and retrieve pSIB schedulinginformation and pSIBs according to the monitoring determined by theprocessing unit,

a storage, configured to store pSIB scheduling information and pSIBsegments,

a processing unit configured to determine a pSIB monitoring based on thepSIB scheduling information and whether the pSIB segments arecontiguously scheduled or not, and also to process the pSI, pSIBs andpSIB segments.

Example embodiments of a flowchart depicting embodiments of a methodperformed by the radio network node 20,110, e.g. the eNB, to transmitpositioning system information to the wireless device 10,120 is depictedin FIG. 6 and will be described more in detail in the following. Aspreviously mentioned, the RNN 20,110 and the wireless device 10, 120operate in the wireless communications network 100. The method maycomprise one or more of the following actions which actions may be takenin any suitable order. Further, it should be understood that one or moreactions may be optional and that actions may be combined.

In Action 601, the RNN 20, 110 obtains one or more positioningassistance data elements from a network node (NN) 30, 132, e.g. alocation server, E-SMLC, LMF.

Examples of positioning assistance data elements are GNSS satelliteinformation such as signals and obits (such as the navigation messagealso provided by the satellites), GNSS RTK corrections as observationsfrom physical or non-physical (calculated observations at a grid pointposition) reference stations, as error contribution parameters such asatmospheric delays, clock bias, clock drift, etc., OTDOA assistancedata.

In Action 602, the RNN 20,110 determines whether or not the positioningassistance data elements will be mapped to positioning SIBs pSIBs thatwill need to be separated into multiple segmented. In other words, thismeans that the RNN 20, 110 determines whether or not the positioningassistance data elements will be mapped to positioning SIBs pSIBs thatneed to be transmitted in multiple segments. Embodiments disclosedherein relates to the case when the pSIBs need to be separated intomultiple segments, and in such case, the RNN 20, 110 determines thatpositioning assistance data elements will be mapped to pSIBs needed tobe separated into multiple segments.

The actual separation of the pSIBs may be performed by the network node30,132, e.g. the location server, and the segments may be passed fromthe network node 30, 132 to the RNN 20, 110 for transmission. When theRNN 20, 110 determines that the pSIBs need to be transmitted in multiplesegments, e.g. by realizing that multiple segments are present, the RNN20, 110 uses contiguous scheduling for transmission as will be describedbelow.

In Action 603, the radio network node 20,110 broadcasts the positioningsystem information broadcast scheduling details in the form of pSI. Aspreviously mentioned, the positioning system information broadcastscheduling details is sometimes herein referred to as positioning systeminformation scheduling information or just pSIB scheduling information.As previously mentioned, the positioning system information schedulinginformation comprises information about pSIBs being comprised in a SImessage. Thus, the radio network node 20, 110 broadcasts positioningsystem information broadcast scheduling information, pSI, comprisinginformation about pSIBs being comprised in a SI message.

In Action 604, the radio network node 20,110 broadcasts an indicationthat a part of the positioning system information broadcast pSIB issegmented. Thus, the radio network node 20, 110 broadcasts an indicationthat the pSIB is segmented into pSIB segments.

As previously mentioned, the indication may be one or more out of:

a segmentation indication per pSIB indicating whether or not the pSIB issegmented;

a representation of a total number of segments;

a representation of a number of segments broadcasted per SI window;

a pSIB meta data indicating a segment number, which pSIB meta data isobtained by the wireless device 120 by decoding a pSIB; and

a segment indication comprised in the pSIB.

Since any target device, e.g. the wireless device 10, 120, willinterpret the segmentation indication as an indication of contiguousscheduling of pSIB segments, the radio network node 20,110 will inAction 605 schedule pSIB segments via contiguous scheduling.

The radio network node 20,110 may schedule the pSIB segments viacontiguous scheduling by scheduling the pSIB segments of the pSIB totake place more frequently than one pSIB segment of the pSIB perpositioning SI period. This will be described in more detail below underthe Section “5.3. Contiguous scheduling of positioning SIBs”.

In some embodiments, the pSIB segments of the pSIB are scheduled incontiguous SI windows within the positioning SI period. This will bedescribed in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8 b.

In some embodiments, multiple pSIB segments of the pSIB are scheduled inone same SI window within the positioning SI period. This will bedescribed in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8 c. In someembodiments, the radio network node 20, 110 broadcasts the contiguouslyscheduled pSIB segments on scheduled resources.

To perform the method actions e.g. for transmitting positioning systeminformation to the wireless device 10,120, the radio network node 20,110may comprise the arrangement depicted in FIG. 7. The radio network node20,110 may e.g. comprise a transmitting unit 701, a receiving unit 702,an obtaining unit 703, a broadcasting unit 704, a determining unit 705,and a scheduling unit 706.

The radio network node 20,110 may be configured to transmit, e.g. bymeans of the transmitting unit 701, a signal, message or information toone or more nodes operating in the communications network 100.

The radio network node 20,110 is configured to receive, e.g. by means ofthe receiving unit 702, a signal, message or information from one ormore nodes operating in the communications network 100.

The radio network node 20,110 is configured to obtain, e.g. by means ofthe obtaining unit 703, one or more positioning assistance data elementsfrom a network node 30, 132 operating in the wireless communicationsnetwork 100.

The radio network node 20,110 is configured to broadcast, e.g. by meansof the broadcasting unit 704, positioning system information broadcastscheduling information (pSI) comprising information about pSIBs beingcomprised in a SI message.

Further, the radio network node 20,110 is configured to broadcast anindication that a pSIB is segmented into pSIB segments. As previouslymentioned, the indication may be one or more out of:

a segmentation indication per pSIB indicating whether or not the pSIB issegmented;

a representation of a total number of segments;

a representation of a number of segments broadcasted per SI window;

a pSIB meta data indicating a segment number, which pSIB meta data isobtained by the wireless device (120) by decoding a pSIB; and

a segment indication comprised in the pSIB.

In some embodiments, the RNN 20,110 is configured to broadcast thecontiguously scheduled pSIB segments on scheduled resources.

The radio network node 20,110 is configured to determine, e.g. by meansof the determining unit 705, that positioning assistance data elementswill be mapped to pSIBs needed to be separated into multiple segments.

The radio network node 20,110 is configured to schedule, e.g. by meansof the scheduling unit 706, the pSIB segments via contiguous scheduling.

In some embodiments, the RNN 20,110 is configured to schedule the pSIBsegments via contiguous scheduling by further being configured toschedule the pSIB segments of the pSIB to take place more frequentlythan one pSIB segment of the pSIB per positioning SI period.

The pSIB segments of the pSIB may be scheduled in contiguous SI windowswithin the positioning SI period or multiple pSIB segments of the pSIBmay be scheduled in one same SI window within the positioning SI period.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the units in theradio network node 20,110 described above may refer to a combination ofanalog and digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configuredwith software and/or firmware, e.g. stored in the network node 110 thatwhen executed by the respective one or more processors such as theprocessors described above. One or more of these processors, as well asthe other digital hardware, may be included in a singleApplication-Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASIC), or several processorsand various digital hardware may be distributed among several separatecomponents, whether individually packaged or assembled into aSystem-on-a-Chip (SoC).

The radio network node 20,110 may comprise an input and output interface700 configured to communicate with one or more out of the wirelessdevice 10,120, 122, the network node 40,130, and the location server30,132. The input and output interface may comprise a wireless receiver(not shown) and a wireless transmitter (not shown).

The embodiments herein may be implemented through a respective processoror one or more processors, such as the processor 707 of a processingcircuitry in network node 110 depicted in FIG. 7, together withrespective computer program code for performing functions and actions ofthe embodiments herein. The program code mentioned above may also beprovided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of adata carrier carrying computer program code for performing theembodiments herein when being loaded into the network node 110. One suchcarrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasible withother data carriers such as a memory stick. The computer program codemay furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server anddownloaded to the network node 110.

The network node 110 may further comprise a memory 708 comprising one ormore memory units. The memory comprises instructions executable by theprocessor in the network node 110.

The memory is arranged to be used to store e.g. data, configurations,and applications to perform the methods herein when being executed inthe network node 110. For example, the memory may comprise the bufferhaving the buffer size referred to herein.

Some embodiments of the radio network node 20,110 may comprise:

a communication circuitry configured to communicate with and obtainpositioning data elements from a NN 30, 132.

a storage configured to store the positioning assistance data andsupport the processing,

a processing unit, configured to determine the possible segmentation ofthe positioning assistance data, and compilation of the pSIBs,optionally in two or more segments, determining the scheduling of thepSIB segments, and the pSIB scheduling information

a radio circuitry configured to broadcast the pSIB segments according tothe determined schedule. Thus, the radio network node 20,110 maybroadcast scheduled pSIB segments, e.g. contiguously scheduled pSIBsegments, on scheduled resources.

In some embodiments, a respective computer program 709 comprisesinstructions, which when executed by the respective at least oneprocessor, cause the at least one processor of the network node 20, 110to perform one or more of the actions described herein.

In some embodiments, a respective computer program 510 comprisesinstructions, which when executed by the respective at least oneprocessor, cause the at least one processor of the wireless device10,120 to perform the actions described herein.

In some embodiments, a respective carrier 511, 710 comprises therespective computer program, wherein the carrier is one of an electronicsignal, an optical signal, an electromagnetic signal, a magnetic signal,an electric signal, a radio signal, a microwave signal, or acomputer-readable storage medium.

Below a more detailed description will follow.

Embodiments disclosed herein may be separated into different parts whichwill be described in more detail below. For example, the positioningassistance data is discussed in section 1.1, different means to providethe positioning SIB segmentation indication in section 1.2, differentways to realize contiguous scheduling in section 1.3 and some signalingaspects in section 1.4.

1.1 Positioning Assistance Data for System Information Broadcast

RTK corrections comprise some of the Positioning assistance data (AD)that is supported in the 3GPP Rel-15. This may be divided into twomessage types; a common message type and a generic message type. Commonmessages are in common for all GNSS, while the generic messages areassociated to a specific GNNS via a configured GNSS-ID.

For example, the GNSS assistance data may be realized by the followingassistance data elements. In one mode of some embodiments, eachpositioning assistance data element corresponds to a pSIB type.

assistanceDataElement GNSS Common GNSS-ReferenceTime Assistance DataGNSS-ReferenceLocation GNSS-IonosphericModelGNSS-EarthOrientationParameters GNSS-RTK-ReferenceStationInfoGNSS-RTK-CommonObservationInfo GNSS-RTK-AuxiliaryStationData GNSSGeneric GNSS-TimeModelList Assistance Data GNSS-DifferentialCorrectionsGNSS-NavigationModel GNSS-RealTimeIntegrity GNSS-DataBitAssistanceGNSS-AcquisitionAssistance GNSS-Almanac GNSS-UTC-ModelGNSS-AuxiliaryInformation BDS-DifferentialCorrectionsBDS-GridModelParameter GNSS-RTK-Observations GLO-RTK-BiasInformationGNSS-RTK-MAC-CorrectionDifferences GNSS-RTK-ResidualsGNSS-RTK-FKP-Gradients GNSS-SSR-OrbitCorrectionsGNSS-SSR-ClockCorrections GNSS-SSR-CodeBias

In addition, there may be additional pSIB types defined associated toother positioning methods. One example is the downlink Observed TimeDifference of Arrival (downlink OTDOA) method.

The pSIB type may be associated to an enumerable parameter, for examplegrouped by the categories below, or as a linear index per type. The sizeof each pSIB depends on a number of things such as whether thepositioning assistance data has been segments into multiple segmentsalready at the network node 30,132, e.g. the location server, or if thefull assistance data element is encoded. Furthermore, some assistancedata elements scale with the number of satellites included in theassistance data element, etc. The network node 30, 132, e.g. thelocation server, will encode the positioning assistance data, optionallyencrypt it, and send it to the radio network node 20, 110 as one or moresegments per pSIB type. Some positioning assistance data will be encodedseparately per GNSS. Therefore, the NN 30, 132 will indicate to the RNN20,110 the GNSS per pSIB type. The RNN 20 will take the encodedpositioning assistance data element, either provided as one or moresegments and compile a pSIB per segment.

The pSIB itself may also include segmentation information such assequence number, last segment indication etc.

The positioning pSIBs are scheduled by the RNN 20, 110, and thescheduling information is compiled into a positioning SIB schedulinginformation pSI. The positioning SIB scheduling information alsoincludes the GNSS ID per pSIB type (when applicable), whether the pSIBis encrypted, typically by providing the decryption key index per pSIB.Different means to indicate whether or not the pSIB is segmented isdescribed in the next section 1.2.

1.2 Positioning SIB Segmentation Indication

In some embodiments, the positioning scheduling information, i.e. thepositioning system information scheduling information, includes asegmentation indication per pSIB. In one mode, the indication is aBOOLEAN per pSIB, indicating if the pSIB is segmented or not. In anothermode, the indication instead represents the total number of segments. Inyet another mode, the indication represents the number of segmentsbroadcasted per SI window (see further details in the next section).

In yet another mode, the device, e.g. the wireless device 10,120,evaluates the segmentation indication by decoding a pSIB. If the pSIBmeta data indicates a segment number, then the device will determinethat the pSIB is segmented.

In some other embodiments, the segment indication is in the pSIB asabove, but the indication also comprise a persistent schedulingcomponent, where the SI identity associated to the pSIB is configuredvia a control channel with a set of persistent radio resources such asperiodic radio resources. In this case, the UE, e.g. the wireless device10,120, will retrieve the scheduled data packets of the persistentscheduling as long as there are segments left associated to the specificpSIB, for example as indicated by a last segment indicator.

1.3 Contiguous Scheduling of Positioning SIBs

In some embodiments, the term contiguous scheduling corresponds to ascheduling of pSIB segments that takes place more frequently than onepSIB segment of the specific pSIB per positioning SI period. Thecontiguous scheduling is illustrated by FIG. 8, wherein FIG. 8arepresents legacy scheduling and FIGS. 8b and 8c illustrate componentsof contiguous scheduling according to some embodiments disclosed herein.

In one embodiment illustrated by FIG. 8 b, the RNN 20,110 will schedulethe different segments of the same pSIB in contiguous SI windows. The UE10, 120 will monitor the next window as long as the previous window didnot include a segment with a last segment indicator.

This embodiment is also illustrated by the flow chart of FIG. 9, whichessentially is the same flow chart as FIG. 4 previously described, butwith Action 404 replaced by Actions 904, 905 and 906. Hence Action 401corresponds to Action 901, Action 402 corresponds to Action 902, Action403 corresponds to Action 903, and Action 405 corresponds to Action 907.In Action 904, the device, e.g. the wireless device 10,120, isdetermining whether the pSIB segments of a specific pSIB are providedvia contiguous scheduling or not. If this is the case, then in Action905, the UE monitors contiguous SI windows for the pSIB segments, and ifnot the case, in Action 906, the UE monitors for one pSIB segment everySI period within an SI window as in legacy.

In another embodiment, illustrated by FIG. 8 c, the RNN 20,110 willschedule multiple segments of the specific pSIB in the same SI window.The device 10,120 will retrieve pSIB segments associated to the pSIBuntil a pSIB segment is retrieved with a last segment indicator.

This embodiment is also illustrated by the flow chart of FIG. 10, whichessentially is the same flow chart as FIG. 4, but with action 404replaced by actions 1004, 1005 and 1006. Hence action 401 corresponds toAction 1001, Action 402 corresponds to Action 1002, Action 403corresponds to Action 1003, and Action 405 corresponds to Action 1007.In action 1004, the device 10, 120 is determining whether the pSIBsegments of a specific pSIB are provided, i.e. transmitted such asbroadcasted, via contiguous scheduling or not. If this is the case, thenin action 1005, the UE monitors the SI windows for all the pSIBsegments, and if not the case, in action 1006, the UE monitors for onepSIB segment every SI period within an SI window as in legacy.

In yet another embodiment, the combination of FIGS. 8b and 8c isconsidered, where the UE 10,120 continues to monitor SI windows until apSIB segment with a last segment indicator has been retrieved, andcontinue to monitor for pSIB segments of an SI window also when a pSIBsegment of a specific pSIB has been retrieved.

In one mode of these embodiments the segment indicator describes thetotal number of segments of a specific pSIB, and the device 10,120monitors for pSIB segments of the specific pSIB until that number ofsegments has been retrieved.

In yet another mode of the embodiments, the segmentation indicatordescribes the number of pSIB segments of the specific pSIB that aretransmitted in an SI window. In yet another mode of the embodiments, thesegmentation indicator describes the max number of pSIB segments of thespecific pSIB that are transmitted in an SI window.

1.4 Signaling Aspects

FIG. 11 provides a signaling chart. As a preparatory action, the NN 30,132 prepares (cf. 800, Action 1101) positioning assistance data, i.e.pSIBs, optionally pseudo segmented. These are (cf. 810, Action 1102)provided to the radio network node 20, 110, possibly routed via anothernode, for example a Mobility Network Node (MNN) 40, 130. If optionalencryption of the positioning assistance data is considered, thedecryption information may be provided to the MNN 40, in 820, Action1103. Thus, the NN 30,132 may encrypt the positioning assistance dataand transmit the decryption information to the MNN 40. In that case, thedevice 10,120 may obtain these keys from the MNN 40, 130 in 830, Action1104. The radio network node 20,110 may also segment the positioningassistance data elements before compiling into pSIB segments. The RNN20, 110 also compiles the positioning SIB scheduling info pSI, 840,Action 1105. The RNN 20, 110 broadcasts, action 850, 1106, the pSI .Thedevice 10, 120 retrieves the pSI and obtains the pSIB segmentationindication to determine whether or not the pSIB segments are providedvia contiguous scheduling, action 860, 1107. Based on the informationabout how the pSIB segments are scheduled, the device 10,120 retrievesthe first pSIB segment of the specific pSIB, action 870, 1108, the nextpSIB segment in action 880, 1109 and onwards until all segments of thespecific pSIB has been obtained.

From the above, it is understood that embodiments also relate to amethod performed by a network node 30, 132, e.g. a location server, forassist the RNN 20, 110 in transmitting positioning system information tothe wireless device 10, 120. As previously mentioned, the network node30, 132, the RNN 20, 110 and the wireless device 10, 120 operate in thewireless communications network 100.

In Action 800, 1101 the network node 30, 132 prepares positioning SystemInformation Blocks, pSIBs. In some embodiments, the network node 30,132prepares pseudo segmented pSIBs. In pseudo segmentation, the networknode 30, 132 segments the data in such a way that each segment may bedecoded independently by the wireless device, without the need of havingto accumulate all the segments.

In Action 810, 1102, the network node 30,132 provides, e.g. transmits,the pSIBs to the RNN 20, 110.

The network node 30, 132 may encrypt the pSIBs and in Action 820, 1103the network node 30, 132 may transmit decryption information to the MNN40, 130 operating in the wireless communications network 100.

To perform the method actions e.g. for assist a RNN 20,110 to transmitpositioning system information to the wireless device 10,120, thenetwork node 30,132, e.g. a location server such as an E-SMLC, maycomprise the arrangement depicted in FIG. 12. The network node 30,132may e.g. comprise a transmitting unit 1201, a receiving unit 1202, apreparing unit 1203, a providing unit 1204, and an encryption unit 1205.

The network node 30,132 may be configured to transmit, e.g. by means ofthe transmitting unit 1201, a signal, message or information to one ormore nodes operating in the communications network 100.

In some embodiments, the network node 30,132 is configured to transmitdecryption information to a Mobility Network Node (MNN) 40, 130operating in the wireless communications network 10.

The network node 30,132 is configured to receive, e.g. by means of thereceiving unit 1202, a signal, message or information from one or morenodes operating in the communications network 100.

The network node 30,132 is configured to prepare, e.g. by means of thepreparing unit 1203, positioning System Information Blocks, pSIBs.

In some embodiments, the network node 30,132 is configured to preparepseudo segmented pSIBs.

The network node 30,132 is configured to provide, e.g. by means of theproviding unit 1204, the pSIBs to the RNN 20, 110. In some embodiments,the network node 30,132 provides the pSIBs to the RNN 20, 110, bytransmitting them the RNN 20,110 by means of the transmitting unit 1201.

The network node 30,132 is configured to encrypt, e.g. by means of theencryption unit 1205, encrypt the pSIBs.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the units in thenetwork node 30,132 described above may refer to a combination of analogand digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configured withsoftware and/or firmware, e.g. stored in the network node 30,132 thatwhen executed by the respective one or more processors such as theprocessors described above. One or more of these processors, as well asthe other digital hardware, may be included in a singleApplication-Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASIC), or several processorsand various digital hardware may be distributed among several separatecomponents, whether individually packaged or assembled into aSystem-on-a-Chip (SoC).

The network node 30,132 may comprise an input and output interface 1200configured to communicate with one or more out of the wireless device10,120, 122, the network node 40,130, and the RNN 20,110. The input andoutput interface may comprise a wireless receiver (not shown) and awireless transmitter (not shown).

The embodiments herein may be implemented through a respective processoror one or more processors, such as the processor 1206 of a processingcircuitry in network node 30,132 depicted in FIG. 12, together withrespective computer program code for performing functions and actions ofthe embodiments herein. The program code mentioned above may also beprovided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of adata carrier carrying computer program code for performing theembodiments herein when being loaded into the network node 30,132. Onesuch carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasiblewith other data carriers such as a memory stick. The computer programcode may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server anddownloaded to the network node 30,132.

The network node 30,132 may further comprise a memory 1207 comprisingone or more memory units. The memory comprises instructions executableby the processor in the network node 30,132.

The memory is arranged to be used to store e.g. data, configurations,and applications to perform the methods herein when being executed inthe network node 30,132.

In some embodiments, a respective computer program 1208 comprisesinstructions, which when executed by the respective at least oneprocessor, cause the at least one processor of the network node 30,132to perform the actions described herein.

In some embodiments, a respective carrier 1209 comprises the respectivecomputer program, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, anoptical signal, an electromagnetic signal, a magnetic signal, anelectric signal, a radio signal, a microwave signal, or acomputer-readable storage medium.

1.4.1 Example—A GNSS RTK MAC Assistance Data Element:

In a normal deployment, there may be around 16 RTK stations andcorrection data from around 12 satellites. Considering below GNSS RTKMAC Correction Difference Information Element and computing it's sizebased upon 16 stations and 12 satellites, the total size can be 1437bytes.

GNSS-RTK-MAC-CorrectionDifferences-r15 ::= SEQUENCE { networkID-r15INTEGER (0..255), subNetworkID-r15 INTEGER (0..15) OPTIONAL,master-ReferenceStationID-r15 INTEGER (0..4095),rtkCorrectionDifferencesList-r15 RTK-CorrectionDifferencesList-r15, ...} RTK-CorrectionDifferencesList-r15 ::= SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..32)) OF RTK-CorrectionDifferencesElement-r15 RTK-CorrectionDifferencesElement-r15::= SEQUENCE { epochTime-r15 GNSS-SystemTime,auxiliary-referenceStationID-r15 GNSS-ReferenceStationID-r15,geometric-ionospheric-corrections-differences-r15 Geometric-Ionospheric-Corrections-Differences-r15, ... }Geometric-Ionospheric-Corrections-Differences-r15 ::= SEQUENCE (SIZE(1..64)) OF Geometric- Ionospheric-Corrections-Differences-Element-r15Geometric-Ionospheric-Corrections-Differences-Element-r15 ::= SEQUENCE {svID- r15 SV-ID, ambiguityStatusFlag- r15 INTEGER (0..3),non-synch-count- r15 INTEGER (0..7),geometricCarrierPhaseCorrectionDifference-r15 INTEGER (− 65536..65535),iod- r15 BIT STRING (SIZE (11)),ionosphericCarrierPhaseCorrectionDifference-r15 INTEGER (−65536..65535), ... }

The 3GPP TS 36.331, clause 5.2 states the following on the SIB size

“The physical layer imposes a limit to the maximum size a SIB can take.When DCI format 1C is used the maximum allowed by the physical layer is1736 bits (217 bytes) while for format 1A the limit is 2216 bits (277bytes), see TS 36.212 [22] and TS 36.213 [23]. For BL UEs and UEs in CE,the maximum SIB and SI message size is 936 bits, see TS 36.213 [23]. ForNB-IoT, the maximum SIB and SI message size is 680 bits, see TS 36.213[23].”

Based upon above limitation, there will be need of 6 SIB segments forLTE DCI format 1A (277 bytes).

Assuming SIB periodicity of rf32 (320 ms) and SI window of 10 ms, as perlegacy mechanism, the total delay/duration to transmit the 6 SIBsegments would be, 6*SI_Window*SIB_Periodicty=6*10*320=19.2 s

In this embodiment, it is claimed that the SIB segments are transmittedback to back without waiting for the SIB periodicity. Thus, removing thelatency incurred by SI periodicity. Total duration to transmit the 6 SIBsegments would be 6*SI_Window=60 ms.

Thus, each SIB segment is mapped to an SI message which has its ownperiodicity and is scheduled back to back without waiting for the nextpSIB period.

1.4.2 Encoding Example, Segmentation Indication Via BOOLEAN:

In this mode, the segmentation indicator explicitly indicates contiguousscheduling of pSIB segments:

Pos-SchedulingInfoList-r15 ::= SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxSI-Message)) OFPos- SchedulingInfo-r15 Pos-SchedulingInfo-r15 ::=  SEQUENCE {pos-si-Periodicity-r15 ENUMERATED {rf8, rf16, rf32, rf64, rf128, rf256,rf512}, pos-sib-MappingInfo-r15 Pos-SIB-MappingInfo-r15 }Pos-SIB-MappingInfo-r15 ::= SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxSIB)) OFPos-SIB-Type-r15 Pos-SIB-Type-r15 ::= SEQUENCE { encKeyIndex-r15 INTEGER(0..15) OPTIONAL, -- Need OP gnss-id-r15 GNSS-ID-r15 OPTIONAL, -- NeedOP sbas-id-r15 SBAS-ID-r15 OPTIONAL, -- Need OP  segmContSched-r15BOOLEAN OPTIONAL, -- Need OP pos-sib-type-r15 ENUMERATED {posSibType-1.1, posSibType-1.2, posSibType-1.3, posSibType-1.4,posSibType-1.5, posSibType-1.6, posSibType-1.7, posSibType-2.1,posSibType-2.2, posSibType-2.3, posSibType-2.4, posSibType-2.5,posSibType-2.6, posSibType-2.7, posSibType-2.8, posSibType-2.9,posSibType-2.10, posSibType-2.11, posSibType-2.12, posSibType-2.13,posSibType-2.14, posSibType-2.15, posSibType-2.16, posSibType-2.17,posSibType-2.18, posSibType-2.19, posSibType-3.1, posSibType-3.2, ... }}

Upon retrieving the segmentation indication, the UE, e.g. the wirelessdevice 10, 120, will monitor for contiguously scheduled pSIBs.

1.4.3 Encoding Example, Segmentation Indication Via Number of Segments

In this mode, the segmentation indication is via an integer (range is upto dimensioning), defined as either

-   -   The total number of segments of a specific pSIB    -   The number of segments scheduled in the same SI window

Pos-SchedulingInfoList-r15 ::= SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxSI-Message)) OFPos- SchedulingInfo-r15 Pos-SchedulingInfo-r15 ::=  SEQUENCE {pos-si-Periodicity-r15 ENUMERATED {rf8, rf16, rf32, rf64, rf128, rf256,rf512}, pos-sib-MappingInfo-r15 Pos-SIB-MappingInfo-r15 }Pos-SIB-MappingInfo-r15 ::= SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..maxSIB)) OFPos-SIB-Type-r15 Pos-SIB-Type-r15 ::= SEQUENCE { encKeyIndex-r15 INTEGER(0..15) OPTIONAL, -- Need OP gnss-id-r15 GNSS-ID-r15 OPTIONAL, -- NeedOP sbas-id-r15 SBAS-ID-r15 OPTIONAL, -- Need OP  segmContSched-r15INTEGER (2..17) OPTIONAL, -- Need OP pos-sib-type-r15 ENUMERATED {posSibType-1.1, posSibType-1.2, posSibType-1.3, posSibType-1.4,posSibType-1.5, posSibType-1.6, posSibType-1.7, posSibType-2.1,posSibType-2.2, posSibType-2.3, posSibType-2.4, posSibType-2.5,posSibType-2.6, posSibType-2.7, posSibType-2.8, posSibType-2.9,posSibType-2.10, posSibType-2.11, posSibType-2.12, posSibType-2.13,posSibType-2.14, posSibType-2.15, posSibType-2.16, posSibType-2.17,posSibType-2.18, posSibType-2.19, posSibType-3.1, posSibType-3.2, ... }}

Upon retrieving the segmentation indication, the UE, e.g. the wirelessdevice 10, 120, will monitor for contiguously scheduled pSIBs.

Further Extensions and Variations

With reference to FIG. 13, in accordance with an embodiment, acommunication system includes a telecommunication network 3210 such asthe wireless communications network 100, e.g. a WLAN, such as a3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises an access network 3211, suchas a radio access network, and a core network 3214. The access network3211 comprises a plurality of base stations 3212 a, 3212 b, 3212 c, suchas the network node 110, 130, access nodes, AP STAs NBs, eNBs, gNBs orother types of wireless access points, each defining a correspondingcoverage area 3213 a, 3213 b, 3213 c. Each base station 3212 a, 3212 b,3212 c is connectable to the core network 3214 over a wired or wirelessconnection 3215. A first user equipment (UE) e.g. the wireless device120 such as a Non-AP STA 3291 located in coverage area 3213 c isconfigured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the correspondingbase station 3212 c. A second UE 3292 e.g. the wireless device 122 suchas a Non-AP STA in coverage area 3213 a is wirelessly connectable to thecorresponding base station 3212 a. While a plurality of UEs 3291, 3292are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equallyapplicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area orwhere a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station 3212.

The telecommunication network 3210 is itself connected to a hostcomputer 3230, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software ofa standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server oras processing resources in a server farm. The host computer 3230 may beunder the ownership or control of a service provider, or may be operatedby the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Theconnections 3221, 3222 between the telecommunication network 3210 andthe host computer 3230 may extend directly from the core network 3214 tothe host computer 3230 or may go via an optional intermediate network3220. The intermediate network 3220 may be one of, or a combination ofmore than one of, a public, private or hosted network; the intermediatenetwork 3220, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; inparticular, the intermediate network 3220 may comprise two or moresub-networks (not shown).

The communication system of FIG. 13 as a whole enables connectivitybetween one of the connected UEs 3291, 3292 and the host computer 3230.The connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection3250. The host computer 3230 and the connected UEs 3291, 3292 areconfigured to communicate data and/or signaling via the OTT connection3250, using the access network 3211, the core network 3214, anyintermediate network 3220 and possible further infrastructure (notshown) as intermediaries. The OTT connection 3250 may be transparent inthe sense that the participating communication devices through which theOTT connection 3250 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlinkcommunications. For example, a base station 3212 may not or need not beinformed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communicationwith data originating from a host computer 3230 to be forwarded (e.g.,handed over) to a connected UE 3291. Similarly, the base station 3212need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplinkcommunication originating from the UE 3291 towards the host computer3230.

Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the UE,base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphswill now be described with reference to FIG. 14. In a communicationsystem 3300, a host computer 3310 comprises hardware 3315 including acommunication interface 3316 configured to set up and maintain a wiredor wireless connection with an interface of a different communicationdevice of the communication system 3300. The host computer 3310 furthercomprises processing circuitry 3318, which may have storage and/orprocessing capabilities. In particular, the processing circuitry 3318may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specificintegrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations ofthese (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The host computer3310 further comprises software 3311, which is stored in or accessibleby the host computer 3310 and executable by the processing circuitry3318. The software 3311 includes a host application 3312. The hostapplication 3312 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user,such as a UE 3330 connecting via an OTT connection 3350 terminating atthe UE 3330 and the host computer 3310. In providing the service to theremote user, the host application 3312 may provide user data which istransmitted using the OTT connection 3350.

The communication system 3300 further includes a base station 3320provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 3325enabling it to communicate with the host computer 3310 and with the UE3330. The hardware 3325 may include a communication interface 3326 forsetting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with aninterface of a different communication device of the communicationsystem 3300, as well as a radio interface 3327 for setting up andmaintaining at least a wireless connection 3370 with a UE 3330 locatedin a coverage area (not shown in FIG. 14) served by the base station3320. The communication interface 3326 may be configured to facilitate aconnection 3360 to the host computer 3310. The connection 3360 may bedirect or it may pass through a core network (not shown in FIG. 14) ofthe telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediatenetworks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown,the hardware 3325 of the base station 3320 further includes processingcircuitry 3328, which may comprise one or more programmable processors,application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arraysor combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions.The base station 3320 further has software 3321 stored internally oraccessible via an external connection.

The communication system 3300 further includes the UE 3330 alreadyreferred to. Its hardware 3335 may include a radio interface 3337configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection 3370 with a basestation serving a coverage area in which the UE 3330 is currentlylocated. The hardware 3335 of the UE 3330 further includes processingcircuitry 3338, which may comprise one or more programmable processors,application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arraysor combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions.The UE 3330 further comprises software 3331, which is stored in oraccessible by the UE 3330 and executable by the processing circuitry3338. The software 3331 includes a client application 3332. The clientapplication 3332 may be operable to provide a service to a human ornon-human user via the UE 3330, with the support of the host computer3310. In the host computer 3310, an executing host application 3312 maycommunicate with the executing client application 3332 via the OTTconnection 3350 terminating at the UE 3330 and the host computer 3310.In providing the service to the user, the client application 3332 mayreceive request data from the host application 3312 and provide userdata in response to the request data. The OTT connection 3350 maytransfer both the request data and the user data. The client application3332 may interact with the user to generate the user data that itprovides.

It is noted that the host computer 3310, base station 3320 and UE 3330illustrated in FIG. 14 may be identical to the host computer 3230, oneof the base stations 3212 a, 3212 b, 3212 c and one of the UEs 3291,3292 of FIG. 13, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings ofthese entities may be as shown in FIG. 14 and independently, thesurrounding network topology may be that of FIG. 13.

In FIG. 14, the OTT connection 3350 has been drawn abstractly toillustrate the communication between the host computer 3310 and the useequipment 3330 via the base station 3320, without explicit reference toany intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via thesedevices. Network infrastructure may determine the routing, which it maybe configured to hide from the UE 3330 or from the service provideroperating the host computer 3310, or both. While the OTT connection 3350is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions bywhich it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., on the basis of loadbalancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).

The wireless connection 3370 between the UE 3330 and the base station3320 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments describedthroughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodimentsimprove the performance of OTT services provided to the UE 3330 usingthe OTT connection 3350, in which the wireless connection 3370 forms thelast segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments mayimprove the latency, and thereby provide benefits such as reduced userwaiting time.

A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoringdata rate, latency and other factors on which the one or moreembodiments improve. There may further be an optional networkfunctionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 3350 between the hostcomputer 3310 and UE 3330, in response to variations in the measurementresults. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality forreconfiguring the OTT connection 3350 may be implemented in the software3311 of the host computer 3310 or in the software 3331 of the UE 3330,or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or inassociation with communication devices through which the OTT connection3350 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure bysupplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, orsupplying values of other physical quantities from which software 3311,3331 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguringof the OTT connection 3350 may include message format, retransmissionsettings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect thebase station 3320, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to the basestation 3320. Such procedures and functionalities may be known andpracticed in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involveproprietary UE signaling facilitating the host computer's 3310measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. Themeasurements may be implemented in that the software 3311, 3331 causesmessages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages,using the OTT connection 3350 while it monitors propagation times,errors etc.

FIGS. 13 and 14 and the corresponding text are about a downstream aspectof the radio-related invention, while FIGS. 15 and 16 and thecorresponding text discuss an upstream aspect.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in acommunication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Thecommunication system includes a host computer, a base station such as aAP STA, and a UE such as a Non-AP STA which may be those described withreference to FIGS. 13 and 14. For simplicity of the present disclosure,only drawing references to FIG. 15 will be included in this section. Ina first action 3410 of the method, the host computer provides user data.In an optional subaction 3411 of the first action 3410, the hostcomputer provides the user data by executing a host application. In asecond action 3420, the host computer initiates a transmission carryingthe user data to the UE. In an optional third action 3430, the basestation transmits to the UE the user data which was carried in thetransmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance with theteachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In anoptional fourth action 3440, the UE executes a client applicationassociated with the host application executed by the host computer.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in acommunication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Thecommunication system includes a host computer, a base station such as aAP STA, and a UE such as a Non-AP STA which may be those described withreference to FIGS. 13 and 14. For simplicity of the present disclosure,only drawing references to FIG. 16 will be included in this section. Ina first action 3510 of the method, the host computer provides user data.In an optional subaction (not shown) the host computer provides the userdata by executing a host application. In a second action 3520, the hostcomputer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. Thetransmission may pass via the base station, in accordance with theteachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In anoptional third action 3530, the UE receives the user data carried in thetransmission.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in acommunication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Thecommunication system includes a host computer, a base station such as aAP STA, and a UE such as a Non-AP STA which may be those described withreference to FIGS. 13 and 14. For simplicity of the present disclosure,only drawing references to FIG. 17 will be included in this section. Inan optional first action 3610 of the method, the UE receives input dataprovided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in anoptional second action 3620, the UE provides user data. In an optionalsubaction 3621 of the second action 3620, the UE provides the user databy executing a client application. In a further optional subaction 3611of the first action 3610, the UE executes a client application whichprovides the user data in reaction to the received input data providedby the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed clientapplication may further consider user input received from the user.Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided,the UE initiates, in an optional third subaction 3630, transmission ofthe user data to the host computer. In a fourth action 3640 of themethod, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from theUE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments describedthroughout this disclosure.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in acommunication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Thecommunication system includes a host computer, a base station such as aAP STA, and a UE such as a Non-AP STA which may be those described withreference to FIGS. 13 and 14. For simplicity of the present disclosure,only drawing references to FIG. 18 will be included in this section. Inan optional first action 3710 of the method, in accordance with theteachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, thebase station receives user data from the UE. In an optional secondaction 3720, the base station initiates transmission of the receiveduser data to the host computer. In a third action 3730, the hostcomputer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated bythe base station.

When using the word “comprise” or “comprising” it shall be interpretedas non-limiting, i.e. meaning “consist at least of”.

The embodiments herein are not limited to the above described preferredembodiments. Various alternatives, modifications and equivalents may beused.

Abbreviation Explanation RTK Real Time Kinematics AD Assistance Data NNNetwork Node E-SMLC Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center LMF LocationManagement Function MNN Mobility Network Node MME Mobility ManagementEntity AMF Access and Mobility Function RNN Radio Network Node UE UserEquipment OTDOA Observed Time Difference of Arrival SIB SystemInformation Block pSIB Positioning System Information Block pSIpositioning system information block scheduling information RRC RadioResource Control GPS Global Positioning System GNSS Global NavigationSatellite System

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method performed by a wireless device forreceiving positioning system information from a Radio Network Node, RNN,wherein the wireless device and the RNN operate in a wirelesscommunications network, wherein the method comprises: receiving, fromthe RNN, positioning system information broadcast schedulinginformation, pSI, comprising information about positioning SystemInformation Blocks, pSIBs, that are comprised in a System Information,SI, message; receiving, from the RNN, an indication that a pSIB issegmented into pSIB segments; determining based on the indication thatthe pSIB is segmented into pSIB segments and on the pSI whether or notthe pSIB segments are scheduled via contiguous scheduling; in responseto the pSIB segments being determined to be scheduled via contiguousscheduling, monitoring scheduled resources and retrieving thecontiguously scheduled pSIB segments; and decoding position systeminformation of the retrieved contiguously scheduled pSIB segments. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is: a representation of anumber of segments broadcasted per SI window.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein the determining whether or not the pSIB segments are scheduledvia contiguous scheduling comprises: determining based on the indicationand the pSI whether or not a scheduling of pSIB segments of the pSIBtakes place more frequently than one pSIB segment per positioning SIperiod.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the pSIB segments of the pSIBare scheduled in contiguous SI windows within the positioning SI period.5. The method of claim 3, wherein multiple pSIB segments of the pSIB arescheduled in one same SI window within the positioning SI period.
 6. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the retrieving of the contiguously scheduledpSIB segments comprises: retrieving the pSIB segments of the pSIB untila pSIB segment with a last segment indicator is retrieved.
 7. The methodof claim 1, further comprising: using the decoded positioning systeminformation to assist positioning of the wireless device.
 8. A wirelessdevice for receiving positioning system information from a Radio NetworkNode, RNN, wherein the wireless device and the RNN operate in a wirelesscommunications network, wherein the wireless device is configured to:receive, from the RNN, positioning system information broadcastscheduling information, pSI, comprising information about positioningSystem Information Blocks, pSIBs, that are comprised in a SystemInformation, SI, message; receive, from the RNN, an indication that apSIB is segmented into pSIB segments; determine based on the indicationthat the pSIB is segmented into pSIB segments and on the pSI whether ornot the pSIB segments are scheduled via contiguous scheduling; inresponse to the pSIB segments being determined to be scheduled viacontiguous scheduling, monitor scheduled resources and retrieving thecontiguously scheduled pSIB segments; and decode position systeminformation of the retrieved contiguously scheduled pSIB segments.